Portable container for service caps



April 5, 1960 A. G. TRUDEAU PORTABLE CONTAINER FOR SERVICE CAPS Filed March 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2.

6 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR G. TRUDEAU EZZMEMR ATTORNEYS April 1960 A. ca. TRUDEAU 2,931,488

I PORTABLE CONTAINER FOR SERVICE CAPS Filed March 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS t d St te ate I 2,931,488. PORTABLE CONTAINER'FQR snnvrcn cAPs Arthur .G. Trudeau, Middlebury, Vt., assignor to Louis- -ville Cap Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Kentucky I: A

Application March 10, 1958, Serial No. 720,311

Claims. (Cl. 206-8) This invention relates generally to containers, but has effective to exclude dust, dirt and the-like from the con tainer when incl'osed condition."

A further object of the invention-is to provide a container of the character described, having means associated therewith for preventing service caps in the con-- tainer from becoming displaced accidently, and for protecting the caps while in the container.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a protective cover for the caps within such a container, which can be quickly and easily installed and as easily removed.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig, 1 is a rearelevational view of the container in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view ofthe container in closed condition, as viewed fromthe right side of Fig; 1;

than the rear wall 3 thereof, so that the side walls which interconnect the front and rear walls will have edges which slope in the manner shown.

Although the container parts are substantially identical, so that either part could be used as the body or li d- (cover) ofthe container, the part shown at the right in Figs. 3

' and 4 will, for convenience, be referred to as the body body of the container, as by means of rivets 6, are spaced 7 surfaces of the rear wall 3 of the lidor cover of the conof the container, and the part shown at the left in Figs.

3 and 4 will be referred to as the lid or cover of the container.

Secured to the outer surfaces of the rear 'wall 3 of the plates 7 of strap hinges, which are hinged, as by hinge pins 8, to the other plates 9 of the strap hinges, the plates 9 being secured, as by means of rivets 10, to the outer tainer.

By utilizing hinge plates of the character described and locating them in the-position shown, with the axis of the hinge pins 8 midway of the height of the container, when closed, several advantages are obtained. In the first place, when the lid or cover of-the container is swung over the body of the container, the former will fit directly over the latter, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, to form a rectangular container of uniform depth, which, after being latched or locked, as by means of a conventional latch 'or lock 11, can be easily carried or transported, as by container is positioned on a flat surface, with the bottom 1 of such body resting on such surface, as indicated in means of a handle 12, which is pivotally secured to the outer face ofthe front wall 2 of the lid or cover of the container. In'the second place, when the body of the Fig. 3, and the lid or cover is swung to fully open position, the top 1 of such lid'or cover will also lie flatjon such surface, as shown in Fig. 3, providing easy access to 7, both parts of the container, and eliminating strainon the hinge plates, hinge pins, and rivets.

Fig. '3 is a side elevational view of the container in open condition;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the container as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the cap protective covers, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the drawings, the container will be seen to comprise substantially identical parts formed of plastic or like material. One of the parts, shown at the high in Figs. 3 and 4, and sectionally in Figs. 5 and 6, comprises a bottom 1, front and rear walls 2 and 3 respectively, a right side wall 4 and a left side wall 5; The other part, shown at the left in Figs. 3 and 4, and fragmentarily in Fig. 7, comprises a top 1, front and rear walls 2 and 3 respectively, a right side wall 4 and a left side wall 5. The rear wall 3 of the first part is somewhat higher than the front wall 2, and the front wall 2 of the second part is somewhat higher To insure that the lid or cover will not openbeyond the position shown in Fig. 3, in relation to the body of the container, so as to further eliminate any possibility of strain on the hinge plates and rivets, the plates 7 are provided adjacent their lower ends with embossments 13, and the plates 9 are provided adjacent their upper ends with embossments 14, which are offset laterally with respect to the embossments 13; These embossrnents, as shown in Fig. 4, act as stops which serve to prevent the lid orcover from'op'ening beyond the position shown-in Fig. 3, in relation to the body of the container.

The body of the container is provided adjacent its upper end with an inturned flange 15, which is formed integrally with the body, extends completely around the body, and terminates at its inner edge in an upstanding flange 16.

The lid or cover of the container is similarly provided at its lower edge with an inturned flange 17, which is formed integrally with the lid or cover, and extends completely around the lid or cover. The inner edge of the flange 17 is bound with an edging 18 of polyethylene or like plastic, as shown in Fig 7. The opening defined by the edging 18 is slightly larger than the area defined by the outer surface of the flange 16, so that the edging will snugly embrace the flange 16 when the lid or cover is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, precluding entry of moisture, dust or dirt into the container.

Secured to the central portion of the bottom 1 of the body, and to the central portion of the top 1 of the lid or cover, as by rivets 19, is a box 20 of plastic or like material, each box being provided with a lid or cover 21, frictionally secured to the box. These boxes are adapted to hold insignia, cufi links, personal jewelry and other accessories which are usually worn by the user of the cap.

Each part of the container is adapted to receive a mili- Fatented Apr. 5, 1960 tary cap of a well-known style or type, as indicated by broken lines in Figs. 4, and 6, such cap conventionally consisting of a body 22, bandportion 23 and visor 24.

.For hepu pes ofsretai ing each n mp sition, en when the container is accidently opened, well, to'pro' vide a means for eifectively. protecting the capagainst crushing, dirt, moisture, mildew, grease, stains andvermin,

andretarding tarnishing of thetgold onthe caps, I have provided protective covers, which are best illustrated in gs- 5, 6, 8. and9- Each of these protective covers comprises a substantially oval or elliptical shaped piece of flexible clear plastic 25, bound at its edge with a fabric or plastic tape 26, which is sewn to theplasticZS, as by a line of thread 27. Enclosed within the tape 26; is a wire, stifiener 28, which, when the protective cover is not in use, tends to maintain the cover flat.

comprising a bottom, front and rear walls, and sidewalls, and a cover comprising a top, front and rear walls, and side walls, said body having an inturned flange adjacent its upper edge formed integrally with the body and extending completely around the body and terminating at its inner edge in an upstanding flange, and said cover having an inturned flange adjacent its lower edge formed integrally with the cover and extending completely around the cover, the opening defined by saidlastnamed flange being-slightly larger than the area definedby said upstanding flange, whereby said last-named flange will snugly embrace said upstanding flange when the cover is closed, all of said flanges. being of substantially. the

" same thickness as the thickness of the walls of said body.

The protective cover is applied over the cap in the manner shown in Figs. Sand 6. That is to say, it; is bent or curved, so that the ends thereof at the ends oi the major axis of the ellipse will underlie the flanges 15, as shown in Fig. 5, and the sides thereof, at the ends of the minor axis of the ellipse will frictionally engage the inner walls of the sides 4 and 50f the container, as shown in Fig. 6. The tendency of the protective cover to reassume its flat condition will tend to resiliently maintain the protective cover in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6,, in which position it is effective to protect the cap in the manner already described, It is apparent from Fig. 5 that the length of the protective cover is slightly'greater than the distance, measured alongthe slope of the upper edge inFig. 5, between the flanges 16, and, itis also apparent from Fig. 6 that the width of the protective, cover is substantially greater than theshortest distance.between the inner surfaces of, the walls 4 and 5,

When it is desired to remove the protective'cover, it is necessary only to insert the finger through any one of the holes at the corners, as indicated at 29, and, lift the cover out of the container.

It is thus seen that I have provided a container of the.

characterdescribed, which fulfills all of the objects of the invention.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention,

herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, andthat various changes may be ma n e sh pe. i e, and a ra gement of. parts of my invention, without departing from the spirit, of. the.

invention or the scope of; the subjoined claims.

Having thus described. my invention, I claim: 1. In a container of the. character. described, a body.

2. A container, as defined in claim 1, in which the flange of the cover is bound with an edging of plastic.

3. A container, as defined in claim 1, including protective covers within said body and cover, said. protective covers retained against displacement by the inturned.

flanges ofthe body. and cover.

4. A container, as defined in claim 3, in which said covers have anatural tendency to assume a substantially flat condition.

5. In a containerof the character described, body I having an inturned flange adjacent its, upper edge, a cover having an inturned flange adjacent its lower edge, pro.- e tive covers'within said body and cover, said protective covers retained against displacement by the inturned flanges of the body and cover, said protective covers. be:

ing of a shape to provide spaces between said covers and the cornersof the container, whereby thefingers may be inserted throughsaid spaces and under said covers. to fa cilitate removalof said'protectivecovers, 

